Hometown Redemption - Book Three of the Western Girls Trilogy

Chapter 7

Suzanne glanced at Ted, who was sitting beside her on the porch swing. "I wasn't quite eighteen when she sent me to work for Mr. Howard, either." she said quietly.

"Because she probably knows that once you're eighteen, she has no power over you, or any of the other girls anymore!" Morgan began pacing. "She uses the fear of having to work for Mr. Howard, or knowing that if you fight her, she'll send other girls to Mr. Howard, to get you to do what she wants without questioning it. I just don't understand the whole connection with Mr. Howard!"

Ted reached over and picked up Suzanne's hand, offering her a smile as he wrapped his fingers around her much smaller ones. "She's getting close," he whispered.

"So, we're sure they weren't seeing each other?" Nick asked.

"I don't think so. It never looked like that kind of a relationship, if you know what I mean." Morgan glanced over at Nick, who was sitting next to Mallory. "Like the two of you. There's just something about the way you sit together, and look at each other. It's the same with Ted and Suzanne," she grinned. "There's just something there and people can see it. Or feel it. I never saw or felt that with Mr. Howard or Ms. Desmond."

Miss Banfield glanced at Mr. Bishop, who was sitting in the chair beside her and he noticed her look, throwing a grin in her direction. She immediately blushed and cleared her throat, sitting up straight and proper as she tried to pay better attention to Morgan.

"Maybe they had just known each other for a long time," Jake said. "There doesn't have to be anything romantic going on between them. But I can't imagine a woman just handing girls over to some random man. There has to be some kind of relationship there, even if it wasn't romantic."

"I agree," Mr. Bishop said. "But another thing that bothers me is that she was willing to hand girls over. What woman does that?"

"Do you think he was blackmailing her?" Mallory asked.

Everyone turned to look at her.

"Maybe she didn't have a choice. Maybe he knew something about her, or something that she had done and he threatened to tell the authorities if she didn't comply."

"It's definitely a possibility." Morgan said. It would have had to have been something pretty serious for her to risk getting caught doing what she was doing, though. Don't you think?"

"Has anyone seen Mr. Howard's brother since he left town?"

Everyone turned and stared at Suzanne.

"Mr. Howard has a brother?" Mallory finally asked.

Suzanne nodded. "He would come in to the saloon sometimes. Not very often, but enough that I knew who he was. I think Mr. Howard was letting him have access to the girls sometimes, without paying. I never had to......you know. But I'm pretty sure a couple of the other girls did. He was really creepy. And made me uncomfortable. Even more than Mr. Howard did."

"This is a new clue!" Morgan found a blank piece of paper and wrote down 'Mr. Howard's brother' on it. "Would you say he was younger or older?"

"I would guess he was slightly younger than Mr. Howard." Suzanne said. "They looked a lot alike, though. Same hairline. Same build. He was  a few inches shorter."

"Do we know anyone who frequents the saloon?" Jake asked, glancing over at Ted.

"Not really. Maybe Tipper. I know he supplies the saloon with moonshine."

"I'll pay him a visit tomorrow," Jake said. "See if he's ever met Mr. Howard's brother. Or if he knows where Mr. Howard might have gone to."

"Who's running the saloon now, if Mr. Howard left town?" Nick asked.